Lightning and Shadows
by Kereea
Summary: Based about 4 months in the future. Moordryd's on the good side and all the gauntlets have been found, but Lance and Artha are at each other's throats. What fun awaits the Lightning and Shadow Boosters? Formerly a oneshot.
1. The former oneshot

Lightning and Shadows

"Wake up call," Connor said as he opened the bedroom door. Decepshun tugged on the black sheets of the bed she was in front of.

"Decepshun! Stop it, I'm tired!"

Connor shook his head, 'Would it kill you three to wake up?"

"Yes!" snapped Lance.

"Chill Lance," Artha said, "How about some Battleground Dragon?"

Lance leaped up and shouted, "Right, that'll just fix it all! I'm not a little kid anymore Artha; and that game won't fix everything!" With that, the younger Penn brother left the room. Artha started to follow, but Moordryd beat him to it.

"I'll talk to him," Payyn said, and trotted after Lance.

----

Moordryd smirked, "Knew I'd find you here."

Lance sighed, "How come you're the only one who's not a dork?"

Moordryd hopped up onto the storeroom shelf, next to Lance, "Hey, everybody has an allotted amount of dork privileges; I used mine up when I was little-"

Lance went off, "Exactly, little! I mean, when I became the Lightning Booster, everybody but you still treated me like a kid."

Moordryd laughed, "Mini-brat, you were a kid, and still are!"

Lance leaned on the older boy, "But you didn't. You never had a 'no Lance, leave it to me' or an 'I'll handle it, just stay there' moment. You treated me like I was as old as any of you!"

"That's because of my upbringing. I'll say one thing for my father; he can raise a rational kid. I felt that we couldn't afford to let you be the kid of the group after you got your gauntlet, you had to learn. That's why I never went easy on you. Artha's the opposite, he was so used to protecting you from folks, self included, that it blinded him a bit."

Lance pouted, "He had to protect Kitt and Parm too, but when they became the Pyro and Strike Boosters he left 'em alone. It's not fair!"

Moordryd lounged, "That's because they're older than you. The reason I don't see you as anywhere near as much of a little kid is because by your age my father had me doing drills all day to improve my racing. C'mon, let's get back to the room, Artha should be out by now, and I think this shelf's going to give way."

----

"So, basically, you're saying Artha didn't high-yah! mean it!" Lance said as he kicked at Moordryd, who ducked out of the way. Moordryd tossed a punch, which Lance blocked.

"Good block, oh yeah, he doesn't mean it. Okay, before we pass out, let's stop."

In one minute, Lance was on Battleground Dragon, easily beating the not-paying-attention Moordryd. Then Artha walked in.

"What are you doing!" he shouted. Lance blinked.

"Playing."

Artha whirled on Moordryd, "Oh, so he won't play with me, but he'll play with you!"

Moordryd sighed, "Chill, Penn, it's not-"

"Don't even go there!" yelled Artha. "Lance, you are such a-"

"QUIET!" shouted Connor. "Boys, Moordryd, what is the issue?"

Just then, a map of Dragon City on the wall buzzed lightly. Connor walked over, "Two crimes. Artha, you take one, Moordryd, the other. Lance, go with whom you like, I'll send Kitt and Parm to the other one."

Lance glared at Artha, "That's an easy decision. Moordryd."

Artha looked ready to kill. He yelled, "Release the Dragon!" and rode off on Beau.

Moordryd stated, "Release the Shadows," and calmly hopped on Decepshun. Lance clambered onto Fracshun and mumbled, "Release the Dragon."

Clad in his blue armor, the Lightning Booster followed the Shadow Booster, because shadows are the only ones who ever understand.


	2. Drakness and DragonEyes

This is the discalimer for the whole story: I don't own dragon booster!

-----

Flashback

"Where's the amulet!" squealed Lance. Everybody had amulets other than him, and he couldn't wait!

Moordryd, who had joined up with them after Arrmeggadonn had tried to control his mind, chuckled, "Cool it Mini-brat. It's at the top of the spire."

Lance grinned at him, clad in his black armor in case of trouble, "Artha and my dad are gonna kill us, right?"

Moordryd shrugged, "One reason I'm doing this is to get your brother mad, I can't believe he tried to dye my hair black!"

Lance shrugged, "He thought you needed a disguise, besides, it washed out!"

"Took a week."

Lance nodded, "True. Anyway I can see it! YAY!"

Moordryd smirked under his mask, "Good. As much as everyone else is against it, you need to figure out how to be the...what was that name you came up with? It was the drac one."

Lance stood on the back of Decepshun's saddle, "Lightning Booster!"

"Yeah, that one. It was the only one that wasn't stupid."

Lance started to laugh, as Moordryd's VIDD-screen came to life. On it was as mad Pyro Booster, a.k.a. Kitt, "Where are you Payyn! Lance'd better be with you! There's trouble at Squire's End! Get over there now!"

As the link terminated, Moordryd rolled his eyes, "When is there_ not_ trouble in Squire's end?"

End Flashback

The Shadow Booster looked behind him, "You okay kid?" Since mini-brat was a Moordryd Payyn term, he referred to Lance as kid when in armor.

The Lightning Booster nodded, "Yeah, he's mad isn't he?"

The Shadow Booster couldn't hide his slight snicker, "_No_, I think he was yelling to express extreme _joy_."

Suddenly, the Shadow Booster halted. "Drac," he breathed, looking at who was causing the commotion.

Lighting, the first word of the title was sometimes used as a nickname, muttered, "Maybe we should have taken the other one." He looked at his partner, "You know how you get with Vociferous' crew."

Lightning could almost see the grin spreading over Shadow's face, "Oh, this is going to be fun! Let's go!"

Lightning sighed, "And here I was starting to have the notion that _I_ was the kid. Silly me."

Shadow had started a real melee, and Lightning was glad to get some action, patrolling with Artha was so dumb; his bro was _way _too overprotective.

----

"What were you thinking!" yelled Artha. "Lance, you almost got killed."

"Chill Artha," Lance muttered. "Moordryd's the one who got hit over the head anyway."

"Lance, I've told you, be careful!"

Moordryd looked up, "Penn leave the mini-brat alone. There are risks in this job, and he knows 'em."

Artha turned back to Lance, "Why do like him better! He doesn't care!"

Moordryd shot up, "Then why did I stop you, _Wraith Booster_? Why did I switch sides?" Why-"

"Don't call me that! And you switched because Arrmeggadonn took you over, and almost killed Cain!"

"And Mini-Brat, don't forget, _your _brother!" Moordryd said mockingly. Artha was wrong to bring up Cain, it got Moordryd fired up. Kitt and Parm chose this moment to walk in.

Parm looked at the two, "What is going on here?"

"Moordryd's being a jerk!"

"Artha's being an idiot!"

Kitt groaned, "Lance? What's going on?"

Lance glanced up from his game, "Moordryd's being Moordryd, Artha's being a dork, and really, I don't care."

"A dork!" snapped Artha. Moordryd hid a grin, Beau did not. Hide one, that is. "He's the one who-"

Moordryd rolled his eyes, "I don't need this. You guys want me, I'm at the compound." After Moordryd had switched sides, there was really no reason for the Dragon Eyes to work for his father. Sure, they still stole a bit, but it wasn't nearly as major a priority as it had been. Moordryd, and Lance if he tagged along, was still welcome at the compound.

----

Flashback

He could feel it, the raw power. Arrmeggadonn was his master, that was all he needed to know. The Dragon Booster and Pyro booster, they could not stand up to him. They lay beaten. Now, to deal with the two his master wanted eliminated…

The first was a young man who kept professing that he knew 'that you're in there Moordryd', whoever Moordryd was, Shadow Booster did not care. He lifted the man and dropped him down the cliff, right in front off the Muhorta's cave. As the man screamed, mental images broke free.

The small boy, about to be tossed next, he was clinging to him in fear of a Wraith-dragon that looked like the Dragon Booster.

The man he had just thrown, they were racing through a target race.

As the last of the Dragon Booster's team, a guy with tan skin and red hair, watched, along with the boy who still dangled in Shadow's grasp, the thin, glowing black draconium bands that criss-crossed his suit evaporated, followed by the armor gliding back into the gauntlet. Moordryd Payyn, free at last, had but one thing to yell.

"CAIN!"

End Flashback

Moordryd stretched out on the bed. His door slid open, admitting Cain and the mini-brat. Cain still had a slight limp; the Muhorta had grabbed his leg after all, but otherwise he was fine. Both went to work trying to cheer up Moordryd.

Sweet Magana Draconis, they had a lot of work to do.


	3. Training memories

Artha was talking with Parm and Kitt. He sighed, "I just don't get what Lance is thinking anymore."

Kitt gave a thin smile, "Apparently, he thinks you're a dork."

Artha groaned, "Real funny. Like, guys, why would he play with Moordryd, that guy can barley survive level one!"

Parm looked thoughtful, "Well, it seems that the past three times you suggested it, you were doing it when Lance was either irritable, like when he's not fully awake, or when we're panicking. Basically, it seems that Lance takes that as a sign that you think he is still at the maturity level where he felt that that game would fix it all."

Artha groaned, and Kitt said, "But, he's still a kid!"

Parm nodded, "And the Lightning Booster. He expects us to treat him like we would treat each other, with respect for our abilities And, well, our concern for him overrides that, but Moordryd doesn't really have that concern, so Lance knows there won't be a point where he is asked to hang back if he goes with Moordryd."

Artha groaned and slumped, 'You sound like Mortis!"

Connor Penn leaned in, and, in his Mortis-voice, said, "Who sounds like me?" Artha sighed, "Nothing Dad, Parm's just being confusing on the Lance issue."

Connor walked out of the room, shaking his head. Moordryd had been training with Lance even before Lance got an amulet. It had driven Artha nuts, that Lance would rather train with Moordryd, who, as Artha had so eloquently put it at the time, "cold, unforgiving and merciless' in sparring with Connor's younger son.

Flashback

Lance gave a whimper, Moordryd was _way_ to strong. But he still liked this fight; he could measure against an opponent who didn't go easy on him. He swung his staff, only to have Moordryd block it again. He gave a low growl, and tried to remember Moordryd's tips that were given after each spar. Moordryd was too quick for Lance to have a speed advantage, and strength was clearly out.

'Think!' he hissed at himself, 'What is Blue good at that Black isn't. What are you awesome at? Acrobatics! Yes, I can think on my feet!'

Lance pulled a quick flip, making Moordryd's strike miss. The pale boy spun, and got whacked in the jaw by Lance's staff. Lance flipped out of the way, and went for an identical strike, but Moordryd was ready this time. He used his own staff to flip Lance's away, and then smacked the mini-brat hard in the chest, sending him flying backwards.

Connor watched, somewhere between pleased and shocked. Lance had been progressing well since Moordryd had joined the team, and also was less hyper. Not to say Artha wasn't going to complain.

"He's just a kid Moordryd!"

Moordryd glared at the raven-haired boy, "He'll have to accept the blue gauntlet sooner or later, stable-brat. If he doesn't want to train with me, I won't stop him from that. If he wants to keep it up, you shouldn't stop him."

End Flashback

Connor sighed, that day his sons had started to grow apart. And the ravine was only widening.

Flashback

"Moor- uh, Shadow Booster, Kitt said to get to Squire's End!" Lance pressed. The Shadow Booster gave a grim nod.

"They can handle it for a few more minutes. My father is getting more powerful, the Prophets are almost out of the track according to that VIDD-mail from Reepyr, and Drakkus is showing up more often. We need all the power we can get."

End Flashback

Lance fingered his amulet halfheartedly. He had become the Lightning Booster a few minutes after that conversation, and they had stopped the Dragon Flares who were causing trouble because of an argument with The Grip of the Dragon. He and Moordryd had come to the rescue, and Lance was part of his first real battle. But the next battle was worse, the battle with Artha.

Flashback

"Lance, I can't believe you put yourself ahead of the city!" Artha yelled. "We told you two to come immediately, and you decide what you wanted was more important!"

Lance quivered, and Moordryd narrowed his eyes, "We were thinking long-run Penn. Mini-brat needs to learn how to use that power."

Artha hissed, "So this was your idea? I am sick of you poisoning Lance with your twisted ideas, Payyn!"

Lance leaped up, "Oh, because I'm such a little kid that one month with a new guy will brainwash me? So I've learned a few things, so what Artha? So what?"

End Flashback

Lance sighed. To this day, he did not have the answer.

Moordryd, sound asleep in his bed across the room, was having a dream that was of a conversation he had had with Connor Penn, about two months earlier.

Flashback

"Why are you okay with it?"

Connor glanced up in shock, he hadn't seen Moordryd there. He chuckled, "You're up late Moordryd. And okay with what?"

"Me training Lance. I know you're everybody's official trainer, but when you have to go off with one of the other three, and Lance and I start rough sparring, and you know what I mean by rough, Artha goes bonkers and you don't seem to mind."

Connor shook his head, "Because you teach at the speed Lance learns. Never tell anyone, not even Lance this, but Artha's a bit jealous."

"Of who? Me or Lance?"

"Both." Connor said. "Moordryd, when I was Mortis I did this to Artha a few times, and now I'll do it to you. I'm not addressing you as a teen right now, but as a man. Artha is jealous of you because he secretly always wanted to teach Lance, but when he tried, Lance hated that Artha went easy on him. He's also jealous of Lance because Lance's mentor, you, is rarely in a 'you're not ready to learn this' state. You are very advanced Moordryd Payyn, and Lance learns well from you. I like that you teach him."

Moordryd smiled, "Thank you sir. That means a lot, coming from a Dragon-Priest."

Connor nodded, "Now then, what else, oh yes! Get in bed before I ground you mister!"

End Flashback

Moordryd rolled over and woke up. He glanced over at Lance, who was still up on his cot. Sometimes he felt like he had been unofficially adopted by the Penns. He and Lance got on well; he respected Connor a good deal, up to the point of feeling pride at compliments from the man, and had, though on pain of death he still wouldn't admit it, a bit of grudging respect for Artha Penn, save for when the guy flew off the handle.

Moordryd smirked at that little thought, and then curled up again, willing both himself and Lance to get some sleep.


	4. The future looks bleak

Lance stood; he was in a gray, foggy plain. He started to back up, but he noticed that the plain was endless. And he was all alone. Suddenly, Drakkus appeared. Lance ran, and reached under his shirt for his amulet. It was gone. Then, from the fog on his right, sprang Libris, but his energy was out of balance one more, and, as with Drakkus, was behind the young boy. Lance didn't know how he was still ahead of them, but he wasn't complaining. Then, of all of the abrupt things that could have happened, the prophets swarmed in front of him. He was alone, no Artha, no Moordryd, no Dad, no anybody!

Lance yelled as he crashed to the floor. Moordryd shot straight up at the noise, though in reality a pin drop could wake up the teen. Moordryd groped for the light and pressed down on the top of the small disk. A dark violet glow filled the room, revealing Lance on the floor instead of on the sleeping mat he used, which was perched on some crates. Lance continued shaking, muttering, "Alone, all alone…" over and over again. Decepshun looked at the young boy and at a nod of approval from Moordryd and at the consent of Fracshun, gently bit down on the back of Lance's collar and lifted him up next to Moordryd.

The older rubbed the younger's back absentmindedly, and started talking to the two dragons, "That's the fifth nightmare this week. And it's the fifth night of the week!"

Moordryd grabbed his things and went to get dressed, "Keep an eye on him; we're heading back to the stables."

Artha's jaw dropped, "Another one?" Moordryd nodded as they lifted the boy onto his bed. As Artha tucked Lance in, he glanced at Moordryd, "Thanks."

"Huh?" Moordryd looked up in shock, "First you're yelling at me, now it's thanking me? Hero, you have mood-swing issues."

Artha struggled with himself for a minute then said, "I'm a little jealous alright?" He sighed, "I mean, you have a right to be close to Lance too, you're as much his bro as me, and, well, when it comes to boosters you _are_ his partner."

Moordryd gave a slim smile, "And the thanks?"

"Easy Payyn, you brought him back here." Artha walked over to the fridge and tossed Moordryd a Dragon-Ade, and then grabbed one for himself, "You knew to bring him home."

Moordryd nodded and sipped the drink. Both boys sat in silence, forming an unspoken truce. Suddenly Moordryd's head snapped up.

"What?" asked Artha. Moordryd looked like he was deep in thought, which was a good thing, usually.

The pale boy looked at Artha, "Didn't your dad say he sensed Drakkus? And Arrmeggadonn?"

"Yeah. Where are you going with this?"

Moordryd nodded, a smirk gracing his features, "What else did he say?"

Artha's eyes widened, "That that kind of power isn't learned, it's hereditary, and that when he was younger…"

"It would come encrypted in dreams!" finished Moordryd. "Now I get it! Lance being alone was his own subconscious, and its way of telling him something, but the rest was a predomination! Oh scales."

Both teens felt grim. This was not good. It meant that the Prophets _were_ almost out of the track, that Rivett _had_ found Libris, and that Drakkus _would_ soon be back.

Both boys groaned and collapsed down on their respective beds. Scales indeed.


	5. Meetings and dragon talk

"AAAAHHHH!"  
Moordryd and Artha covered their ears as Lance yelled. Moordryd shouted, "KID! Shut up, you'll wake up all of Mid-city!"

Artha cried, "Lance, calm down! It's not the end of the world, though having to fight those guys will be kind of close…."

"Nice," hissed Moordryd, "Lance, if you want to prove that you're more mature, stop screaming."

Lance stopped, gasping for air. Artha pressed and ice pack to his head, and muttered to Moordryd, "Thanks."

"_Anytime_. We're going to need help on this, but how do we get Phistus, Wulph, Khatah, and the rest to help. We can't call a meeting; either the boosters or us will be missing!"

Artha looked at the comm. links on the table, "Kitt, Parm, you getting this?"

The first on, linked to Kitt's, hissed, "You guys woke me up an hour early for this?"

Parm's also answered, "I think I have a plan. We send the messages to meet at the front of the Furox's temple, as it's very deserted. They will be from the Dragon Booster, who will be there. The other four boosters will 'be keeping and eye on the old city and the Track of Doom', in other words, being lookouts."

Artha snapped his fingers, "Only one won't! He'll really be there, just not in armor!"

Moordryd nodded, "And we can say you're nauseas from some training exercise or something! Perfect! I'm calling being the team representative, as Artha can't!"

The crew leaders Phistus, Marianis, Cain, Wulph, Stewward and Khatah had all received identical notes, telling them where to go. And they were there.

"Nauseas?" asked Marianis of Moordryd. "Really, Penn didn't strike me as the type."

Wulph opened one eye, both had been closed the whole meeting, "Enough of that, what's the plan?"

Phistus elbowed Khatah, "And I thought you were serious."

"Guys, chill," said the Dragon Booster. "And girls," noticing a look from Marianis. "So far nothing's happened, but we need to be ready. If you see Rivett, any Prophets or orange dragons, Drakkus, or if you think Word is planning something, call Connor Penn and he'll relay it to me and the other boosters. If you really feel that you have to you can try to help, but avoid Drakkus as he's nuts!"

Moordryd, as the Penn racing representative, since Artha was 'ill' put his hand in, "Penn Racing's in!"

"As is the Grip of the Dragon"

"And the Inner Order!"

"The army of the Dragon is under your command Dragon Booster."

"Same with me and the Dragon Fish! We're in!"

"And the Dragon Eyes! Uh, we can still do a bit of thieving though, right?"

"The Keepers are on your side, Dragon Booster."

"That went well," Parm said. "Far better than expected."

"Good thing Cain covered for Moordryd when he slipped up."

"Stow it Kitt, or you'll feel the wrath of Payyn!"

Decepshun blinked These guys are so weird. And Moordryd did not slip up!

Fracshun nodded Tell me about it. Also, I don't think he'd slip up either.

Wyldfyr snorted Oh, nooooo. Just ignore the multiple villains, small-time thieves, and insane crew leaders and everything's downright dandy!

Fracshun ducked behind Decepshun, who growled STOP IT! You're scarin' the kid!

I am not!

Are so!

Beau stepped between them Girls, please! Aren't you the ladies of the group?

Decepshun growled Well this 'lady' still kicks-

Don't say it begged Cyrano. Thanks for stopping them Beau.

Beau stretched out Yep, yep, yep, that's just me, doing my 'Dragon of Legend' thing. Making peace, righting wrongs…

Being stupid. Wyldfyr added, and Decepshun and Fracshun sniggered.

Girls, and uh, little guy! Aren't you on my side? whined Beau.

No way golden-boy," hissed Wyldfyr.

Decepshun was very laconic with her answer: No.

Fracshun shifted next to the girls, at which Cyrano said, Don't you worry Beau, I'm with you!

Beau nodded, but sighed inwardly. He wanted 'cepshun to like him! She was one hot dragon, and smart too! Why didn't she like him! WAH!


	6. Artha is soooo dead

Okay, quick note, I used thes cool sybols for dragons talking, but they won't show, so dragons get no symbols. Sorry!

"Hey, Lance, you want to do patrol with me tonight?" Artha asked.

Lance nodded tentatively, "O……kay. Sure Artha, why not?"

Moordryd smiled, "And since I can't be paired with Kitt as both us _and_ Wyldfyr and Decepshun will tear each other up, I only have to deal with Parm! Yes!"

"Why am I not so bad?"

Moordryd smirked, "Because you fear me. It's amusing."

Parm groaned, "Oh, I'm going to have _so_ much fun."

"So, Artha, what're we going to do?" Lance asked. Artha grinned, "Well, the Dragon Flares are causing trouble again, so I thought we'd deal with them…."

"But Artha, Khatah called in five minutes ago, remember! He saw Rivett and Libris! Shouldn't we-"

"Uh, no. I think Moordryd and Parm are going to deal with it, and Kitt's waiting for us to help with the Flares."

Lance looked at Artha, "Then how about you go help Kitt, and I go help Parm and Moordryd? They'll need it if they catch up with Libris"

"Lance, no it's too dangerous! Uh…oops." Artha cringed as Lance snarled.

"TOO DANGEROUS! Artha, I thought you had gotten it! I can do just as well as you can! I'm going to go send Parm, he'll replace me; I'm sticking with Moordryd!"

"Lance, wait!" Artha yelled after his little brother, who had vanished deep into the shadows.

"Dragon wants me?" asked Strike, back to booster names, as it was a crowded area. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." At Lighting's answer, Shadow sensed something amiss. Monotone really wasn't Lightning.

As Strike sped, well as fast as possible anyhow, away on Cyrano, Shadow jerked his thumb towards a deserted alley, Fang Blvd., "Come on, we need to talk."

Lightning dully followed him until they reached a wall with a hole in it. Shadow gestured for Lightning to follow him.

Moordryd removed his amulet from his gauntlet, as did Lance. Moordryd sat on a crate, "It's okay, nobody's around. I've been coming here since I was little, to get away. Now what's up?"

Lance blinked a moment, than burst into tears, "I th-th-thought t-t-that Arth-tha h-had it, y-you know, th-that I-I-I, was not a l-l-little kid any-anymore, b-but he didn't!" Lance huddled against Moordryd, seeking comfort from the world.

People could call Moordryd cold, call him emotionless, but if they had walked in right there, they would think him the most compassionate person on earth, with Lance being held only as a big brother can hold a little sibling, with a feeling of being cared about, and a feeling of protection.

Moordryd looked at the small boy, and knew then and there, no matter what their genetics, Lance was his little brother, and Artha, oh, he was going to pay.


	7. Parm has a plan

Connor paced the stables, and then looked at Artha, "Why aren't Lance and Moordryd back yet?"

Artha shrugged, "Why should I care?"

As Artha stalked off, Parm looked worriedly at Connor, "I don't need to be as smart as I am to identify that he and Lance must have had a fight, and Lance went to Moordryd, which is why I assume Lance left Artha to switch with me, I ought to have seen that!"

Connor shook his head, "Just when they reconcile, it starts again."

Parm gave a slight nod, "Good thing Kitt went home, she takes Artha's side, then it's a full out two-on-two fight! At least Lance and Moordryd have enough honor not to go for a two on one, or the effects would be-"

The COMM-link buzzed, and Connor muttered, "I hope it's them."

It was one of them anyway, a rather ticked-off looking Moordryd. He said, "Listen, Mr. Penn, Lance and Artha really had a, for want of a better word, miscommunication on the mission. Now Lance is in tears, and I'm betting Artha's mad. Well, tell him this, he ever, and I mean ever, gets mini-brat upset again, there will be scales to pay!" The link terminated.

Parm stared at the formerly active screen, eyes wide, "Um, Mr. Penn, now what?"

Connor shook his head, "I don't know Parmon. I really don't know."

"I'm getting tired of this," Kitt muttered. It was the next day, and she and Artha were getting ready for a race, "I mean, Lance knew you didn't mean it, and Moordryd just had to issue a threat, didn't he?"

"Yes he did." Moordryd and Lance walked up. Moordryd's eyes were narrowed, and Lance was pointedly not looking at Artha.

Artha rolled his eyes, 'Nice of you two to show up."

Moordryd smirked, "Wasn't it?"

Beau looked at Decepshun Make him stop.

No.

Beau growled Decepshun, make your human leave my human alone!

Fracshun looked at Beau Then make your human leave mine alone!

What!

Courage gone, Fracshun huddled behind Decepshun, who snarled.

Connor walked up to Parm, "What going on?"

The genius sighed, "Well, Kitt and Artha are livid at Moordryd, who's mad at Artha, who's made Lance sad, Decepshun is infuriating Beau and shielding Fracshun, and, rather frankly, Cyrano and I are over here wondering what the Magna Draconis wants of us all."

"We need something to make them get along."

Parm nodded, "You know Mr. Penn…I think I have an idea, all we need to do is call Wulph, Cain, and Marianis, and re-arrange some furniture…."


	8. Artha is ticked off

Kitt finished checking her gear, and then hopped on Wyldfyr to join Artha and Beau at the starting gate. She looked at the stands, "Where is everybody? Half of the people are gone!"

Artha looked at her, "They're at the Horn of Libris race. It's tomorrow, and you know how some folks are, they're desperate to make sure that that they get good seating."

"That's dumb."

"I know."

Lance pouted as Kitt and Artha raced, "I'm sick of being too young to race."

Moordryd nodded, "I know you are. You will get to race tomorrow though, in the Horn of Libris competition!"

Lance started at him, "What?"

Moordryd chuckled, "I read the rules. You can be underage if there is at least a five years age difference between you and the racer that is old enough, plus one year for every year under the age of ten.. So if I drive, you can get the targets. It's easy, we can go practice now!"

Lance grinned, "Sure!"

Artha stretched, "Dad, uh, where's Parm and, uh, those other two?"

Connor leaned against Beau, "They went back to the stables to practice, and Parm has something to do."

Kitt blinked, "Practice? For what?"

Connor smiled, "The Horn of Libris. True, it's not the real horn anymore, but it's still a good race."

Artha gaped, "I thought that Kitt and I were going to do it!"

Connor couldn't hide a small smile, "They beat you to the sign up sheet."

"LANCE! MOORDRYD!"

Moordryd, who was on Decepshun, who was magging Lance upward, said, "Ignore him mini-brat, just balance on the mag-stream."

"I'm already doing that!"

"I know," Moordryd said coolly. Decepshun lowered Lance back behind Moordryd. "Okay now, mini-brat, this time, aim for the hoop and try to go through it."

Lance was up again, and Artha ran into the training chamber of the Dragon Temple.

"LANCE PATRIK PENN! MOORDRYD…uh…PAYYN!"  
"Are both wanting you to shut up, Penn," Moordryd said as he kept an eye on the stream of energy holding Lance.

Kitt was right behind Artha, "you two knew we wanted to run the Horn of Libris!"

Lance, in the middle of his acrobatics, yelled, "You guys never said anything."

"The mini-brat speaks the truth."

"Shut up Payyn!" yelled Artha. Over a speaker in the wall, they heard Parm's voice.

"Guys, I need you up here, all of you."

"What's going on?" Artha asked, looking at what had formerly been the den. Two couches had been moved, and Wulph, Marianis, and Cain were in there as well.

Parm grinned, "Counseling."


	9. Counsiling and the Horn of Libris

"Okay, so maybe I'm being hard on Lance," Artha muttered.

Kitt sighed, "And I'm being too hard on Moordryd for annoying Artha."

Moordryd grimaced, "Fine. I've been doing a bit of instigating, happy now?"

"I've been eating too much sugar."

"I'm with that one," Wulph muttered, he had seen the small boy start twitching after three minutes of sitting still. He and Cain were there if a fight broke out, and Marianis was there to trap the four in their own words if they tried lying.

Parm clapped his hands together with glee, "Hooray! Now then, how about I send out for pizza?"

Artha looked at Lance, "Sorry. I really do hope you do well in the race tomorrow."

Lance shifted, "Yeah, well, maybe I can pair with you on the next doubles race."

Artha shook his head. "No, for the sake of our brother-ship."

"Good plan."

"So, young Penn, you are competing?" asked Khatah. Lance nodded. "Well, you shall have a hard time beating Sarjo and I, we own this race."

Moordryd smirked, "If I'm correct Khatah, I won last time."

Sarjo rolled his eyes, and Khatah snapped, "You cheated last time!"

Moordryd smirked, "Yes, but I doubt I will need to this time Khatah. This race is about to have two new champions."

Khatah smirked back, "I look forward to you both attempting that."

"And it's Race Marshall Budge here, and boy, am I glad to be commentating on this Horn of Libris race! We have teams from Army of the Dragon, Inner Order, Penn Racing, and Dragon Flares going for the trophy! Army of the Dragon's falling back, and Flares are right behind the neck-and-neck leaders, Inner Order and Penn Racing!" Decepshun and Shock-Ra were straining to get ahead of each other, and Khatah and Lance were smacking targets like there was no tomorrow.

"Oh my sweet Magna Draconis! They're both at the top! It's all down to who grabs the Horn first!"

Lance was only about a millimeter ahead of Khatah, but as Khatah was taller his arms were longer, so he still snatched-

Thin air.

Lance and Khatah stared in disbelief, as a stream of gray mag-energy took the fake horn and brought it into the hand of the black clothed rider. They were lowered onto Shock-Ra and Decepshun, who snarled, as Wulph, Trakkur and Hyve joined them at the top.

Wulph whispered, "By Drakkus and Abbanndonn." as Rivett raised the trophy.

R&R!


	10. Catching Rivett

Khatah glared, "Rivett! What is the meaning of this?"

Rivett smiled, "What, can't Libris win his own competition?"

NO!" snapped Wulph, "This contest does not include you! Return the trophy this instant!"

Moordryd called, "Put it down Rivett, it's not even the real horn."

"Don't you people think I know that! I have the Horn of Libris already! How do you think I found my beloved dragon?"

Lance shrugged, "Uh, Dragon-net search engine? I hear Dracoogle is good."

Rivett blinked, "Okay, I'm going to make this simple. I tricked all of you, okay? I got you to think I left the Horn, when I didn't! Honestly, it wasn't even that good of a hologram anyway!

"Stop this Rivett!" yelled the Dragon Booster, who, along with Strike and Pyro, had just shown up.

"And what would I be stopping? I'm not doing anything that bad."

"Dragon Booster, what do you suggest?" asked Khatah, "We can't very well fight him; Libris will use our energy against us!"

Dragon Booster thought about this, he had a plan, but it would put Lance in danger, but then, he couldn't very well let the city down, and Lance would murder him! He took a deep breath and said, "We do the same as with the chromatic dragon, distract him. Payyn, you mag the Penn kid up behind Rivett, and kid, you tackle him!"

Lance restrained himself from hugging Artha, ahem, the Dragon Booster, in pure glee. This was all he had wanted from Artha, an acknowledgement of the fact that he could do this!

Strike started, "Um, here! Over here, you um, person!"

"Insubordinate blonde! Over here!" yelled Wulph.

"HEY JERKFACE!" yelled the Pyro Booster. Libris blasted her.

The Dragon Booster sighed, "You officially have his attention, girl."

"Ready Mini-brat?" Moordryd asked. Lance nodded.

"Let's do this!"

Rivett was so busy being ticked of by and going after Pyro that he didn't notice Lance behind him until he was out of the saddle and pinned flat.

Sarjo, who was mute, did a little victory dance in his saddle. Khatah, Wulph, Pyro, Strike, and Trakkur applauded. Moordryd was punching the air and yelling, "Yes! Yes, oh yes! Oh yeah, oh yeah!" all self control forgotten. But what made Lance's day was the proud look on Artha's face when he got back home, trophy in hand.


	11. Monopoly and more weird dreams

"I hope no one else taped that," Moordryd muttered, upon seeing Parm's recording of his little moment of no control. Really, it was embarrassing for someone like Moordryd. People don't fear you as much after seeing stuff like that!

Kitt shrugged, "Cool it Moordryd, the reporter was scared off by Libris. Your move Rivett, you got a six on the dice roll."

Kitt, Moordryd and Parm were keeping an eye on Rivett, who was tied to a chair, but they were bored, and decided to play Dragon-City Monopoly. As Rivett was tied up until further notice, the others had to roll for him, and collect money when he said so, they weren't loosening those ropes. Beau had convinced Libris to be good until he, Artha, Lance, and Fracshun returned from locating Connor Penn.

"Now, remind me again, why aren't I in jail?"

"Interrupting the race wasn't a crime, and after awhile the charge for stealing something, even the Horn of Libris, is dropped," Parm muttered, calculating his next move.

"You know, I didn't mean to wreck the competition," Rivett said.

Moordryd rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right."

"It's true! Libris and I wished for attention to be turned to our plight! I think that Machina is going to join with Word Payyn, upsetting the balance of the Mechanists. We don't take sides, we sell to everyone, and favoring one side will be our downfall, especially if it's the loosing side. I need your help to re-establish that I am the leader of my crew, not her!"

"You're the leader? Since when?" asked Kitt.

"Since the crew elected me obviously."

Moordryd was suspicious, "Let me guess, you were voted out?"

"No," Rivett said. "Please, will you try to get the boosters to help, this could be crucial!"

Artha gaped, "He wants us to help him?"

Kitt nodded, "That's what he said hero-boy."

Connor sighed and shook his head, 'I don't know. Trusting Rivett could go either way, the question is, can we risk it?"

Moordryd gagged on his dinner, "You're kidding, right? This is Rivett we're talking about! He always plans things so that he wins. Who's to say that after Machnia is out of the way, he won't try to strike a deal with my father as well? If he sees an advantage, he'll take it."

Lance, mouth still full of food, said, "Yeah, but, don't you remember what happened with the Army of the Dragon? We trusted them, and it saved our butts."

Moordryd nodded in slight consent, he hadn't been there, but he had heard the story a few times. Parm looked at everyone, "I say we get some sleep, and come to a conclusion tomorrow, when we are refreshed."

Lance tossed in his sleep; another dream was rocking him to the core.

Artha, Kitt, and Parm were trapped by grey draconium, not grey-bone, dragons. Rivett and Libris on the other hand were cornered by a shadowed girl on a grey-bone dragon that was even larger that Libris, even if it was only by a little bit. Lance saw a clock in the room that said it was almost noon, and heard a voice, similar to Mortis', "Time is ticking on Lightning Booster. Tick-tock-tick-tock!"

"Tick-tock Mini-brat, time to get up!"

Lance sat up, and was greeted with an aggravated looking Moordryd. "Come on, you slept way too late! The others went ahead, they might need us!"

Lance's eyes widened, and he shakily glanced at his clock. Eleven-thirty a.m.

R&R&R&R! I don't own dragon booster!


	12. Rivett's Rightful Place

I don't own DB. Thanks to all reveiwers!

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The Shadow and Lightning boosters were heading toward Worktown at breakneck speed. Shadow asked, "So, you dreamed that the others are in trouble?"

Lightning nodded, "Yeah, here's what I think: the other Mechanists are scared of Machina and her dragon, since they seem to be more powerful than Rivett and Libris, so they follow her."

Shadow growled, "I never did trust Machina. Nobody's that emotionless unless they have something to hide!"

"Shadow focus, we need to find them."

The older boy shook his head, "I don't know what to do kid. Worktown's nearly a mile deep and as far around as the rest if the city, and the Mechanists are spread out all over it. We'll never get there in time."

"Time is ticking on….." muttered Lightning. "What if it, nah."

Shadow glanced over, "What if what kid?"

Lightning met his gaze, "What if, in my dream, it wasn't a clock in the room, but a clock tower I was seeing through a window! What if it's by a clock tower?"

Shadow nodded quickly, "Of course! The central support of Worktown is also a huge clock tower! And there's a giant warehouse near it, they might be there!"

Lighting looked at his partner grimly, "Yeah, well 'might' is all we have time for!"

Machina, atop her gray-bone dragon Technus, was ticked off. Not only had that worthless Rivett shown up with Libris, but three of the boosters were backing him up. There was one good thing though, Mechanists, if they have a side, rarely switch until a winner is declared, so most of the crew members we're getting in her way. The only two still loyal to Rivett, and Machina would bet her bottom dollar that they had told him where to go, were Caugg and his dragon Geiyr, and little Iram on her dragon Vessyl. No matter, they would fall as well. "So Rivett, ready to toss it in?"

The blonde smirked, "Not on your life Machina! Of course, that really doesn't hold high standing with me, so… not on Libris' life!"

"It won't have to be on anyone's life!" yelled Shadow as he mag pushed the door into about five mechanists, none of which had dragons so really it didn't help all that much. What the duo had forgotten was that the crew was not a racing crew, and few of the members had dragons. Plus, in his dream, two of the dragons Lance had thought were surrounding the others were actually trapped with them. This was an issue for the Mechanists. If any of the ones with Dragons tried to fight these new opponents, there would not be enough to deal with the five captive racers, three of which were boosters.

Poor Mechanists.

"Thanks for the help," Rivett said grinning, as the members who had been for Machina quickly swore loyalty to him. "Oh, it's good to be back where I belong."

Iram pulled on Rivett's sleeve and hissed in his ear. Rivet blinked, "Ah, yes, the matter of payment…"

Dragon Booster held up his hands, "You don't need to pay us Rivett. We did what was right." The other four nodded.

Rivet chuckled, "I though you'd say that, but there's still the Penn crew. Do you think they would mind? After all, they helped too, and we Mechanists hate debt, be it from our buyers of ourselves."

Shadow nodded slowly, "You know, I don't think that they would. Maybe one of you should take it by the stables tomorrow….."

----------------------------------------

Oh, and a shout out to Mari from the DB disscussion board, who is Iram in this chapter! R&R!


	13. Return of the Flashbacks

Lightning and Shadows

e no own dragon booster. There, i say it! I have said it!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Parm was wild with excitement as he analyzed the gear from the Mechanists. "I mean, this is truly state of the art! The amount of energy it can give your dragon is amazing! No wonder their gear is so sought after!"

Lance snickered; Moordryd was miming every word that Parm said. It reminded Lance of what had happened right after Moordryd had been freed from Armeggadonn, and Parm was just starting to patch up Cain's leg….

Flashback

Moordryd had finally calmed down, but was still very weak as being controlled by Armeggadonn had seriously drained his energy, so he was leaning slightly on Lance for support. Then his VIDD-comm. rang.

Moordryd hesitantly answered it, but put it on audio only, so he wouldn't be seen. Word Payyn's voice yelled, "Moordryd Drakkus Payyn! Where are you, you must come to my citadel at once, that Shadow Booster is causing trouble for me in the Old City and…."

As word continued talking, Moordryd stated mimicking his father's words. Lance was holding back snickers that threatened to make themselves audible to the evil mastermind, and gripping Moordryd's arm for support.

Moordryd cut his father off, "The Shadow Booster's already been taken care of, father. He isn't here anymore."

Word muttered, "Foolish boy. You can find an antidote for Dragon's Bane but you can't find an enemy!"

Moordryd glanced at Cain, "You know father, I'm sick of you using me to try and influence the council. I'm putting Cain in charge of the Dragon Eyes. You no longer have any authority over them, I quit." He shut down the link, then shakily stood and started to climb onto Decepshun.

Dragon Booster yelled, "Moordryd, wait! We need your help!"

Moordryd shook his head, "I can't be the Shadow Booster all the time hero, and there'll be no place for Moordryd Payyn once word gets out that I have become worthless to my father."

Lance gulped, and then glanced that the Dragon Booster briefly before saying, "You can join the Penn crew."

Pyro nearly fell off Wyldfyr, what was going through this kid's head? Moordryd smiled at Lance, "Thanks mini-brat, but something's telling me that your brother won't allow it."

Dragon Booster sighed; Lance really had thrown them in this time. He tugged the amulet out of his gauntlet, "You know, I think he'll let you."

Moordryd gaped for a moment before saying, "Well, this answers a lot."

End Flashback

Lance chuckled at the memory. The only one funnier was when they got to the stables…

Flashback

"Holy scales."

Kitt snickered at Moordryd's expression at the state of the guys' room. She, being a lady, had her own room, when she wasn't at her own pad. Parm just about never stayed here, there were a few special cases; however this was not one of those for either of them. So the racer-girl and techno-geek used their common sense and got out while the getting was good.

Moordryd shook his head, "How do you two call this a room Mini-brat? It's a wreck!"

Artha answered dryly, "Let's see. There's racing and crime fighting, would you have time to clean your room?"

Lance piped up, "At least we finally got beds in here instead of the mats! Uh, you'll have to use Parm's tonight Moordryd, maybe we can go look for one for you while Artha and Kitt are racing."

The next day…….

"Come on Moordryd, get up!"

Moordryd glared at the small boy who was attempting to awaken him, "Mini-brat, it's six on a weekend! Go away!"

Lance grinned, "But we need to get to the candy sh- uh, furniture shop early."

Moordryd stretched, "Okay, but I'm not buying you candy."

Yeah right.

End Flashback

Lance grinned, his puppy eyes solved everything.

"And it is amazing in its intricacy! Every little bit is perfectly placed to amplify the energy…"

Moordryd nudged Lance, "Candy shop?"

"Candy shop."

----------------------


	14. Dragon Fish Ho!

Lightning and Shadows

I don't ownd ragon booster. R&R!

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"Umm, I'll have an ice cream cone-no! A smoothie, no wait, a candy bar, or maybe a candy cane, or maybe-"

Moordryd stared at Lance, who was going crazy due to the sugar, he sighed, "Two ice cream cones please, one chocolate with rainbow sprinkles, and the other vanilla with Reese's Pieces."

Moordryd then dragged Lance out of the shop before handing him the chocolate cone. "Come on Mini-brat, we need to get some gear."

Lance cocked is head, "But… Kitt and Artha haven't been racing much because of our hero-stuff, so we don't have much money… How are we gonna buy something?"

"Mini-brat, two things. One, I am aware that we have very little money. Two, I know what I'm doing."

"Then, what are we doing?"

Moordryd sighed, "We're going someplace drac; it's behind the mall."

Lance muttered, "What's so drac about the mall?"

Moordryd put Lance on Decepshun, "I'll show you when we get there."

Flashback

"I'll show you when we get there, mini-brat."

Lance groaned; the others had gone in search of the green amulet and gauntlet, leaving him and Moordryd to do as they pleased. Moordryd had simply put him on Decepshun, and now they were going somewhere drac, Moordryd just wouldn't say where. Then he caught sight of it.

"The Dragon Fish's place, why here?"

Moordryd started coolly, "We need their help, namely, Marianis' help."

"With what?"

Moordryd smirked, "I'm not telling."

End Flashback

"Whoa." Lance couldn't find another word for it. "Where in Dragon City are we?"

Moordryd rolled his eyes, "Behind the mall Mini-brat, welcome to the Dragon City back-alley market."

Flashback

"So, you found some reports of one of my crew members doing thieving?" Marianis asked in shock

Moordryd nodded, "We don't know who it is exactly though, but there is one fuzzy photo. They were trying to get into Penn Stables; my bet is that they think we know what the Dragon Booster did with that gear, and they want it back."

Marianis looked at the picture, "Hmm, well, there are a few people this could be, Dorsal! Get over here and enhance this photo will you?"

Dorsal blushed, "Sure thing, Marianis…"

Lance saw Moordryd's eyes narrow at that blush, no way, did Moordryd like Marianis, and was he seeing competition from Dorsal? Weird….

End Flashback

Lance was on Decepshun, watching as Moordryd managed to get gear parts for very low prices. Moordryd hopped back up, "That, Mini-brat was the wonder of knowing the back alley market."

"Moordryd Payyn; didn't think you'd be here."

Moordryd dropped just about all of the parts, "M-m-marianis…what a surprise."

Lance smirked inwardly, this was funny. But the Dorsal just had to run up.

"Marianis, I got all the parts you wanted and-"

Marianis gave him a mock glare, "Dorsal, can't you see I'm talking?"

She didn't see Dorsal's eyes narrow as he muttered, "Oh, didn't see you there, Payyn."

Moordryd gave a slight nod of acknowledgement, "Dorsal. Well, Marianis, how goes finding the thief?"

She shrugged, "Not that great, Dorsal was enhancing it when some mustard form his taco fell in."

Lance thought, 'Hmm, who puts mustard on tacos? And who be so careless as to do so while enhancing a picture…. Time for SHERLOCK LANCE!'


	15. Tydul and the Gear Part 1

Lightning and Shadows

I don't own DB Please reveiw! I love reveiwers... i really do...

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Lance woke up, 'Where am I?' Okay, I'm on Decepshun….

Moordryd glanced behind him, "Hey Mini-brat, looks like you fell asleep due to too much sugar again, hmm?"

Lance stretched, "What'd I miss?"

Moordryd snickered, "Only Dorsal admitting that he had lied to Marianis; he had decided to let Tydul enhance the photo, and she's the one who dropped mustard on it."

Lance slumped, 'Awww, no Sherlock Lance? No fair….'

"And Marianis had a fit because he lied to her, because apparently he thought it wasn't a big deal, so she zapped him with her tentacle gear! I got a picture for you too; it's the funniest thing I've ever seen!"

Lance looked at the photo, "Wow, I didn't now hair could stick up that high…Drac!"

Moordryd seemed lost in space, "Yeah…it's really drac…."

Lance snickered, "Moordryd and Marianis, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-"

"Finish that mini-brat and I swear you will wake up very confused in the temple of the Furox tomorrow morning!"

"Ehhh, okay." Lance shivered, Moordryd scared even him sometimes. He made a silent vow to not mention this ever, lest Moordryd pummel him into worthless paste.

----

Parm grinned, "Oh good, I needed these parts to fix Kitt's thruster gear, and Artha's Jakk-stick. Where did you get them?"

Moordryd stretched before flopping down on his bed, "Back alley markets, discount stuff. Went there after the candy store."

"I hope it's not a black market." Parm mumbled as he worked on the gear.

Moordryd shook his head, "Nope Smarty-brat, the Black Market's in Shadowtown."

"Yeah, and we're nowhere near finding the Fish's thief," Lance sighed as he curled up on his bed. "When do Artha and Kitt get back anyway?"

Parm shrugged, "About an hour, they have three races today."

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside, and a proud and annoyed looking Decepshun dragged in Dorsal by his left leg. Moordryd leapt up, "What are you doing here?"

Dorsal didn't hear him, "Get your dragon off me Payyn!"

Moordryd's eyes took on an evil look, "I don't know…. Mini-brat, Parm, your opinions please."

Parm shook his head, "I don't think it's a good plan to let him go."

"He was snooping!" accused Lance.

Moordryd nodded, "Okay, sorry Dork-sal, you're staying put for the time being."

Dorsal glared at him, "I'm trying to find out who tied to steal _your_ gear Payyn. Marianis is already mad at me for letting Tydul do the photo, I'm trying to get in the clear!"

Moordryd thought, 'Who says I _want_ you in the clear?'

"Dorsal, it does not matter whether or not Marianis is displeased with you, you did not have our permission to go probing around our stables," Parm said firmly.

Dorsal and Lance gaped, and Moordryd said, "He means it doesn't matter if you're in hot water, you needed our okay to poke around here."

"Oh," said Lance and Dorsal.  
Decepshun gave an angry grunt as Dorsal struggled again, and then she swung her head and rammed him into the wall. Moordryd tried not to snicker, 'All right 'Cepshun!'  
Parm, on the other hand, was not as pleased, "Decepshun! Don't injure him, just jeep him there!"  
Dorsal, in another attempt at freedom, punched Decepshun on the nose. Decepshun glanced at Moordryd, as if to say, 'Why aren't I supposed to injure him again?'  
"Why aren't I supposed to injure him again?" muttered Decepshun to Fracshun, Cyrano, and Dorsal's dragon Hy Dyv. Hy Dyv snorted, and Cyrano said, "Because Decepshun, it's hard to interrogate someone who is not intact!"  
Fracshun blinked, "Eh?"  
Decepshun growled, "He means we can't question a dead guy Short-stuff."  
Fracshun cocked his head, "Huh, and here I thought it meant that we couldn't slice open someone who's not smart."  
Cyrano groaned, "Fracshun, I said 'interrogate' not 'impale' and 'intact' not intellect'! Honestly, you're as bad as Lance sometimes."  
Fracshun slumped, but Decepshun put her claw on his shoulder, "And, short-stuff, you're as good as him the other ninety-nine percent of the time!"  
Cyrano glared at her, "That wasn't my point, Decepshun."  
"I know, dragon-of-Smarty-Brat."  
Hy Dyv blinked, "Are you guys always this nuts?"  
All three sheepishly muttered, "Yes."

Moordryd held up a hand, "Ssh, what was that?"  
"Oh, don't try to get me to shut up Payyn, I know what you're doing!" snapped Dorsal.  
Lance feebly kicked him, "Can it! I head it too; someone's searching the temp- I mean the basement!"  
Suddenly a girl skidded in. Dorsal yelled, "Tydul? What are you doing with that gear? Oh, dirty scales, that's not the…."  
Tydul cut him off, "The ancient gear Marianis gave the Dragon Booster and his little buddies the Penn Crew? Of course it is Dorsal! This gear belongs to the Dragon Fish!"  
Dorsal stood tall, "That gear was given to the Dragon Booster so that he could protect it! It dos not belong on the streets!"  
Tydul held up the gear, and everyone stood still. Parm slowly lifted his hands, "Now, now, miss, um, Tydul was it? Just-just calm down, I'm sure there's no need to use the gear and freeze us…" Parm's thumb twitched to the left, and Moordryd got the message. As Tydul focused on Parm, Moordryd slowly inched toward his whip, which was in the corner. Soon his boot touched it, and he said, "Yeah Tydul, take it slow…no sudden…MOVES!"  
On the last word he flicked his boot, spinning the whip up into his hand, and he looped it around Tydul's torso immediately. At the first shock from the whip Tydul dropped the gear, and Lance dove and caught it, before scampering back to Parm. Dorsal just stood there gaping. Parm grinned, "Well, that was a near brush with disaster on that one, hmm?"  
Lance looked at the now beeping gear, and started to toss it between his hands. "Uh, guys, I think we have a problem!"


	16. Tydul and the Gear Par t2

Sorry for the lack of updates. This should be done in a week or so! Me no own DB!

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Moordryd's eyes widened, "Mini-brat, drop it!"

Lance threw it like it was burning his hand, and it landed at Parm's feet. Parm gave a squeak and kicked it, sending it towards Dorsal. Dorsal yelped and swung his mag-staff like a bat, slamming it at Moordryd, who whipped it over to the door. Everyone sighed in relief.

Then the door opened.

"Hey guys!" called Artha. "Kitt and I got back early, since we won the first two….oh scales!"

Kitt, Parm, and Dorsal watched in shock as Artha got frozen, Lance tugged out a note pad and marked that this was the fifth time it had happened, and Moordryd suppressed his snickers.

Artha muttered, "I aid oo uys."

"Huh?" asked Moordryd, laughing, "Speak a little more clearly stable-brat, I can't hear you! Ha-ha-ha!"

Kitt put her hands on her hips. "Moordryd….."

Dorsal chuckled, "You're in trouble Moordryd, I don't think Penn's girlfriend liked that comment!"

"I AM NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!"

Lance snickered, "She didn't like that either Dorsal. Oh, and Moordryd, Artha said "I hate you guys"."

Parm smiled, "Not to fear, no real harm done, I merely zap him again to reverse the gear."

Kitt snatched the gear from the brainiac, "No way Professor, with your aim you'll just zap somebody else again; remember last time?"

Parm grimaced, he remembered…..

Flashback

"Calm down everyone, I just need to zap him again," Parm said lightly, for Artha had once again been frozen by the ancient gear. Suddenly the gear fired before he could aim. "Oh! Oh dear! Um, sorry Moordryd."

End Flashback

Parm grinned nervously, "Yes... I remember it quite well. Proceed."

As Kitt finished thawing Artha, Moordryd's eyes widened, "Uh…guys, where's Tydul?"

----

The doorbell of the Dragon eye hideout was driving Cain nuts. "Guys, one of you's got to be up, somebody get that!"

DING. DING.

Cain dragged himself out of bed, "This had better be good, and if it's a salesmen…ooh, he's going down. Uh, or she."

Cain opened the door and balked, "Mr. Payyn!" The he sneered, remembering that his crew no longer worked for the man, "What do you want at this hour, _sir_?"

Word was to the point, "Where is Moordryd?"

Cain folded his arms, "Not telling Payyn, he ain't on this crew anymore. Have a nice night." He slammed the door.

Word was heading back to the vehicle when a young woman in Dragon Fish clothing slipped out of the shadows, "I can tell you where to find your son Mr. Payyn, and some rare gear besides…."


	17. Candy, Sparks, and Sparkk

Don't forget, I love reviews!

-----------------------------

Moordryd and Lance entered the candy bar near the racetrack. The shopkeeper, Ayndi, smiled, "Hey, if it isn't me best little customer! How ye doing Lance, hear ye won the Horn of Libris!"

Lance grinned at the old man, "Yep!"

Ayndi nodded, "Well, seeing as how there's that and your pal has spent fifty-eight drakkals on you alone this month, how about a free chocolate-vanilla-and-strawberry sundae supreme with crushed Draconee-Yum bars and rainbow sprinkles on top?"

Lance grinned, and Moordryd smirked, "Ayndi, you had him drooling at sundae. I'll have a Nutri-Bar and a milkshake if you don't mind."

As Lance dug into the huge sundae, Moordryd stared at the huge, about a foot off the bowl, ice cream dish, "Your brother's going to murder me for letting you eat that."

"But it must be so tasty," said Marianis as she sat on the barstool on Lance's other side.

"Hey," Lance muttered with a mouthful of the sundae.

Moordryd smiled, "Hi Marianis, why are _you_ sitting with _us_?"

Marianis smiled back, "Look around Moordryd, other than you and me everyone in here's younger than your little shadow, with a few exceptions."

"Like me," said Sparkk as he sat next to Moordryd. "Hey Payyn, why wasn't Pyyrah invited to the big Booster broo-hah-ha like some of the other crew leaders?"

Moordryd drank some of his shake, "Not your business."

Sparkk's eyes narrowed, "She wants to know! The red empire helped the original boosters, why can't the Flares help now?"

Marianis coolly sipped her smoothie, "Your sister should ask these things herself Sparkk; then she might actually get answers."

Sparkk snapped, "Yeah right, may I remind you Marianis, your crew is descended from an empire that switched sides, nobody should trust you!"

Moordryd slammed his drink down, "That's enough Sparkk! Marianis is right, if your sister has issues, she should take them up herself. With the Dragon Booster."

Sparkk stomped out and Lance yelled, "If you paid attention in class, you'd remember that the reason they kept switching sides is because the leaders kept getting assassinated!"

Marianis smiled, "And since I have no plans of dying, I think we're good. You know Moordryd, your father's been quiet lately...do you think he's planning something?"

Ayndi, who had 'overheard' said, "Aye, it be hard to tell though. Moordryd's dad ain't a predictable sort."

Suddenly the back wall was smashed down, and Vociferous' crew, astride their Sonic-class dragons, waltzed in. Moordryd went for his whip, "Yeah, but at least these guys are predictable."


	18. The Wavox

Moordryd woke up to Lance yelling his name. "Okay, I'm up…where are we?"

"I don't know, but Marianis is gone!"

Moordryd cocked his head, "What!" He stood, "We're in some kind of temple…oh no!"

What?" asked Lance, as Moordryd showed him a painting and message on a wall. Lance looked past the painted corpses and read, "Woe to all who dare enter in search of the Wavox, the bonemark of the Queen of the Light Blue Draconium Empire."

"This is not good," muttered Moordryd. "I think I get their plan, stick her with the bonemark, then have her find her dragon, and destroy us. I hate to say this, but we need to get out and trap them in here, since we don't have Decepshun and Fracshun."

Lance nodded grimly, "I think the exit's those doors over there… we also need to make sure that Posidois is safe, even if Marianis has the bonemark, without her dragon it's kind of useless….unless, can she put it on another dragon?"

Moordryd nodded, "It's possible; don't you remember when I stuck the Furox on his goldness?

"Yeah, but you had to get close for that," Lance said as they neared the door, which was abruptly demolished from the other side. A pale blue blur raced past them, and Lance yelled, "Poseidois, no, stop!"

Just outside the door were a very bewildered looking Decepshun and Fracshun. Moordryd, unable to take much more stress today, what with fighting, being kidnapped, losing his…uh…friend, and being in a bonemark's temple, was on a short fuse. "Come on, we have to stop Poseidois before he reaches Marianis!"

"Why won't the Voices be effected by the bonemark anyway?" Lance asked.

"Light blue isn't even a secondary for them," Moordryd said tersely.

"But...Parm had that thing with the blue bonemark!"

"Yeah, but Marianis will be effected before them, so they can stop as soon as she falls under its spell…. How did you guys beat the Samurox again?"

Lance cocked his head, "Why is that important?"

Moordryd was struggling against an outburst, "Because Mini-brat, I have a slight idea, but you need to tell me how you lot did it."

"Well, we knew that it was unstable on Cyrano...so we had a good chance of getting it off. Why?"

Moordryd grinned, they way he used to when a theft was going perfectly, "Drac! Come on, I have a plan!"

Vociferous and Spyyn were not happy. Sure they were getting paid a bundle for this, but the bonemark room was too small, there might not be room to run once Marianis a hold of the bonemark. She was already possessed, walking slowly towards the Wavox. There was a crash, and her dragon rushed in.

"NO!" yelled Vociferous. "Spyyn run, we have to get out of here before she gets it on him!

"Way ahead of you!" yelled Spyyn and she raced out. Vociferous was about to follow, when Payyn and the pest crashed in crashed in.

Moordryd was way past ticked off, the only thing stopping him from ripping Vociferous in half for doing this was the thought that it might traumatize Lance. "Out of my way, you scale-scraping piece of trash."

Vociferous glanced behind himself, "Be my guest!"

Moordryd and Lance's eyes widened in horror, the Wavox was only a few feet away, in full control of Marianis and her dragon.


	19. Moordryd's First

Okay, this is the last update. I've finished writing the story, but it takes awhile two update, which is why I do several chapters at a time.

--------------------------------------------

Moordryd hopped off Decepshun and walked forward, "Marianis, please, it's us! Moordryd Payyn and Lance Penn! You know us, we're your friends!"

Marianis' eyes became clearer for a second, "M-M-Moordryd? Lance?"

"Yes," Moordryd said, insulting Voicy had helped with the fury, so it was a bit easier to stay calm. "Um, you know, that 'petty theft' crack you made to Spyyn was pretty good. I wanted to write it down."

Marianis' eyes started to glow again, "What are you trying to do?"

Moordryd smiled, "Us? We're not trying to do anything, are we boys?"

Lance and Vociferous shook their heads. Marianis' glowing eyes narrowed, "I do not believe you!" Poseidois roared and mag-blasted Vociferous clear off his dragon, and right into a wall. Swavvy, trying to look innocent as he did so, magged his rider back into the saddle.

Noting Voicy's unconscious state, Moordryd sighed, "I hate to do this to you, Marianis, but if I have to then I have to. Release the shadows!"

Lance followed suit, "Release the dragon!"

"What!" yelled the Wavox, as it was clear Marianis had just about zero control now. Shadow backed up slowly, "Okay kid, I'm going to try to mag-claw her. Get ready to go with the plan."

"Right!"  
Moordryd focused, and worked on draining as much energy as he could from the Wavox as he possibly could. Lightning pulled out his flash stick, and waited for his cue. Shadow yelled, "Now!"

Lightning reacted instantly, stunning the Wavox with his flash stick, and then Fracshun mag-blasted the bonemark. They had no chance of fully breaking the mag-pull that Posidois had on it, but there was a chance if it was on another dragon….one with no light blue influences. Fracshun was struggling to push it farther, just close enough to mag it to Swavvy. The big dragon looked a bit confused, and then suddenly the mark, instead of holding Marianis and Poseidois, snagged him and Vociferous. Well, sort of, Vociferous was still unconscious.

Marianis held her head, "What? What happened to the bonemark…Scales! You idiots put it on another dragon! What were you thinking?"

"Less yelling, more mag-bursts!" shouted Shadow.

Marianis stared at him, and Poseidois joined Decepshun and Fracshun in bombarding the new Wavox. Vociferous was starting to fall out of his saddle, as he was _still_ out cold. Fracshun was having trouble maintaining his energy, it had already taken a lot just to get the darn thing on Swavvy, now they were trying to get it off, and it was starting to give him a headache.

Vociferous fell out of the saddle and his head banged against the stone floor. This was apparently a good distraction, and it gave them time to fully remove the bonemark.

Marianis turned around to thank the Shadow and Lightning Boosters, but they were gone. She rolled her eyes, and rode out, shaking her head.

----

Moordryd grinned, "We are so lucky mini-brat; I doubt Marianis remembers what happened when she had the bonemark."

Someone tapped Moordryd on the shoulder, and he spun around. Marianis was grinning at him, "You think so _Shadow Booster_?"

Moordryd blinked, "How did you…uh…what do mean?"

Marianis rolled her eyes, "_Boys._ Nice try Payyn, you know what I'm talking about. I was pretty sure that you two were the boosters, I mean, it was rather obvious. Now I know though, you are the Lightning and Shadow Boosters."

"I swear Marianis, are you feeling okay? I mean, that bonemark didn't mess with-"

Moordryd didn't get to finish, Marianis gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Moordryd's hand flew to his cheek, and Marianis and Poseidois sauntered off, right as Moordryd blacked out from shock, falling out of his saddle.

Lance groaned, "Great, now I have to get an unconscious guy back to the stables Marianis! Gee, thanks!"

R&R!. Oh, and Nayade, or Bedelgeuse as that is the name on deviant art, drew a pic of the kiss! Go to my page for the link.


	20. Parmon's Date

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

Lance and Fracshun were attempting to get the candy off of a high shelf. This consisted of Lance balancing precariously on Fracshun's head. He was still reaching when Moordryd walked in, shut the door, and then ducked behind a cupboard. He then noticed Lance, "Mini-brat, you had a candy bar right when we got back from dealing with the Wavox, you really don't need more sugar. Plus you're going to fall."

Lance, still going for the sweets asked, "Why are you in here?"

"Stable brat's going to murder me."

Lance nodded, "Ah. What is it today?"

"Pushed him into dragon dung. This was an accident though!"

Lance smirked, "Was not."

Moordryd snickered, "You know me too well Mini-brat."

Lance nodded, and continued stretch for the candy, "How long…are you…going to…be in...here?"

"Until you scale-scraping older brother chills out."

"All night?"

Moordryd cringed, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Kid, you're going to hurt yourself if you keep that up"

"I'm not going to fall!"

Moordryd lifted the small boy off Fracshun, "No, but if you kept stretching like that one of your muscles was going to snap. Here." Moordryd mag pushed a metal spoon across the shelf to knock down a bag of Drac-ee bits.

Lance grinned and opened the candy, "Thanks, when are you going to teach me how to do that anyway?"

Moordryd shrugged and took a few pieces of candy, "I'm hiding for awhile, so I guess we could try now. It's harder when it's not your dragon, like when I used Frachun just then…."

----

A few hours later Parm walked in, just in time to see Lance send a small hunk of metal skittering across the floor with a mag-push, "Well done Lance!"  
Moordryd and Lance looked up; they had no clue that there was an audience.

Parm kept applauding, "How long have you been practicing, it took Kitt and Artha a long time to do that, and I'm not even there yet!"

Lance grinned shyly, "Thanks Parm. Was it really that good?"

"Definitely," Moordryd and Parm said in unison. Moordryd then asked, "So Parmesan, why are you in here?"

Parm, for once, ignored the nickname, "Well, Moordryd, umm, do you really need your shadow gear fixed by tomorrow?"

Moordryd shook his head, "No, I lost at drawing straws for the fiftieth-scale-scraping-time-in-a-row, so I'm not racing, why, you have a date?"

Parm blushed, and Lance yelled, "You do! You do have a date! Parmon's in love, Parmon's in love!"

Moordryd smirked, "Okay braniac; spill the beans, who's the girl?"

Parm blushed deeper, "Well, err, Chute. But it's not a date, no, it's a study date!"

Moordryd and Lance gave each other disbelieving glances, "R-ight."

"It is! I'm helping her learn a bit more about gear repair, no one on her crew's a mechanic you see, and she's going to help me with a few, well, racing fears."

Moordryd shook his head, "You're scared of super-speed, insanely built mag-jumps and things like that, and you're going to Chute for advice! She's the leader of the most extreme team in the city!"

Parm stood tall, "Well, as the Power Booster I need to be tough!"

As Parm exited, Lance elbowed Moordryd, "What do you think?"

"Bet you he wets his pants before it's over."


	21. Of Broken AC and Heaters

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

Moordryd and Lance were with Connor watching Kitt and Artha spar. "So, Lance has figured out the mag-push?"

"Yep," Moordryd said, he was holding a small camera incase there was a second when Artha looked extra stupid.

Connor nodded, "That is good. Word's plan with the Wavox clearly shows that while he had lain dormant for awhile, he has clearly not given up. And if Vociferous' 'little fish' comment is worrying, if it is indeed Tydul as you suspect, then not only will Word have a good deal of information on the Dragon Fish, but all she knows about the ancient paralyzing gear as well."

"He could use that to start a war," muttered Moordryd.

Connor looked at him, "Are you crazy? How could that, of all things, start a war?"

Moordryd continued watching Artha for embarrassing photo possibilities, "Did you not pay attention when I worked for my father? The guy'll use anything, and I mean anything, to start a war. He could have come up with a plan utilizing underpants if he felt like it!"

Lance snickered, "Really? Like how?"

Moordryd laughed, "No clue, maybe steal all the underwear in the city and blame a certain crew, or pit the crews against one another."

"With undies?" asked Lance, just about howling by now.

"Yes undies," said Moodryd, laughing even harder.

Connor shook his head, "You two need to go to bed, the Wavox likely exhausted you, and I think that exhaustion is breeding insanity."

Moordryd held up his camera, "But sir, well uh, I'm trying to get a good picture of stable-brat messing up!"

Connor, in parent mode instead of Mortis mode, took the camera, "Bed. Now."

Lance gulped, "Got it dad!"

Moordryd nodded, "Uh, yeah, I'm with Mini-brat!"

----

"It's too hot!"

Moordryd grumbled into the sheets at Lance's whining, "Then kick off your blankets and just use the sheets, but stop moaning about it! If you have to, complain to your brother, he's the idiot who mag-clawed the AC!"

"Shuddup Moordryd," hissed Artha sleepily. "We all need a little sleep."

Parm was the only one asleep; Chute had brought him back from the 'study date', as he had fainted. She had sighed, "And we were just about done with high-velocity aerial maneuvers too." Everyone was mad; they needed him conscious to fix the AC, but he was out like a light.

Kit had gone home, claiming that, "I'm not staying anywhere this over-heated!"

Finally, the boys eased themselves into a light sleep.

-----

Moordryd woke up to the room being cold, "Hallelujah, Smarty-brat fixed the AC! Kind of chilly though…"

Lance, who was tying his shoes, sighed, "Because Parm didn't fix the ac, Artha just broke the heater."

Moordryd blinked, "He's the big-shot hero, he has amazing powers, he rides the Dragon of Legend and he's a scale-scraping idiot!"

Lance nodded sympathetically, "Welcome to my world."

"What?"

Lance snickered, "I've been saying he's an idiot since day one."

Moordryd laughed, as Artha walked in, "Hey guts, what's so funny?"

Both boys shrugged, "Nothing."

Artha was about to question them further, but Kitt crashed in, "GUYS! Big problem!" Parm sleepily sat up, "What? Where, of good, I'm back. What is it Kitt? And who broke the heater and AC?"

Kitt gasped for breath, "Voice of the Dragon and Dragon Flares, they're, they're going up against the Inner Order and, oh man, and the Will of the Dragon on the west end of Down City! It's a street war!"

"NO!" Artha yelled, and punched the wall, "We have to stop them!"

Parm nodded, "Right. Moordryd, you and Lance alert the Army of the Dragon, it's in their area, and Phistus, we might need his crew's help as well."

"Right!" both said, and grabbed their VIDD-comms.

Artha sighed, "I can't believe this is happening."

Kitt stood next to him, "You and the rest of the city Stable-boy, you and the rest of the city."


	22. Magna Draconis, it's WAR!

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

The fight had already been out of hand by the time the boosters arrived. Most of the Army of the Dragon was participating in the Tandem Hunt competition, and so only a few of the crew had been able to come, and Phistus' crew was on the other side of Down City, dealing with a few non-crew racers who had started a near-riot over there. A third of the Inner Order had been dealt with, and almost half of the Will of the Dragon was out of the fight as well.

The Dragon and Pyro Boosters had gone to help the Grip of the dragon with the riot, leaving Lightning, Shadow, and Power to deal with the battle on the west end. Lightning, as Lance, had contacted Cain and Marianis and told them what was going on, and both had showed up to help with the mess, while the rest of the Dragon Eyes and Dragon Fish had headed to the riot area.

Lightning located and pinned Sparkk, and yelled, "Where's Pyyrah!"

Sparkk twisted and choked out, "Not here. She's stirring up people on the east end, like Word told her to."

Lightning let Trakkur for the Army of the Dragon trap Sparkk with the green gear, while he called Pyro to alert her of Pyyrah's whereabouts. Shadow was combating a very angered Vociferous; both were engaged in a fight of their own, barely noticing what was happening around them. Power was acting as a medic, Marianis was beating up Spyyn, Cain was dealing with three Flares with the help of Sarjo, and Khatah and Kwake were effectively handling the remaining Voices.

----

Pyro had lost Dragon in the madness, and found herself facing Pyyrah. She demanded of the Flares leader, "Why are you doing this Pyyrah?"

Pyyrah slashed at Pyro with her mag-saw, and Pyro blocked with her staff. "You should know! You're the only girl on your team, haven't you ever been left out, ignored, like the Dragon Booster ignored me and my crew?"

Pyro scoffed, "Is that what this is about? Pyyrah, the Will of the Dragon and Dragon Winds weren't invited either! But are they helping Word Payyn cause chaos? No!"

Pyyrah stuck again and hissed, "You're just trying to distract me!"  
Pyro's staff couldn't take much more abuse, "We're sorry Pyyrah! We were a little iffy about trusting you, after the Horn of Libris incident in Precinct, and the Furox deal, and you've been pulling a few other jobs for Word! We didn't know if your crew could be trusted, we're sorry!"

"You trust the Army of the Dragon, why not us?" Pyyrah demanded, "My crew is descended from an empire that was trustworthy, an empire that helped the Dragon Booster, as well as the other boosters!"

Pyro dodged another swipe with the saw, and growled, "It doesn't matter who your ancestors were! What matters is what your crew is now, and we were nervous, Pyyrah, if a war starts we all lose!"

Pyyrah's answer was another strike. This time, Pyro's staff didn't hold, and she was flung off Wyldfyr onto the ground.

----

Shadow was still trading blows with Vociferous when Power rammed the Voice's leader to the side, "Shadow! We all need to get out of here; some of the stray mag-blasts have eaten through the support ropes, and this entire area is unstable!"

"What?" yelled Shadow above the ruckus.

Power yelled, "I mean this whole area is going to-"

Suddenly, the ground fell out from under them.

"FALL!"


	23. And We All Fall Down

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

Citizens of the west end of Down City watched in shock as the section of the city crashed downward, taking the fighters with it. The cement and metal that made up the combat ground fell a good few hundred feet before slamming into the top of a cliff of the Old City. The few wary spectators inched to the edge of where the section used to be to try and see if anyone was okay, but the dust clouds that the crash had flung up blocked their view.

----

"Shadow!" yelled Lightning, "Marianis, Power, somebody?"

Suddenly Shadow shot out of the cloud of debris and hugged him, "Thank the Magna Draconis! You're okay!" Shadow turned to his left, and yelled, "Power, Marianis, Cain, he's okay!"

"Thank goodness," muttered Power, and Marianis hugged Lightning, as soon as Shadow let go of him anyway. Cain looked at Shadow, "Now what?"

Shadow looked around, "Now we find everybody else."

----

Pyro opened her eyes; her vision was a bit blurry. She was sprawled on the ground, and her left arm was in a lot of pain. She rolled over, and struggled to sit up. She looked around, unconscious, and maybe even a few dead, dragons and riders littered the ground. She stood, clutching her arm in agony, and staggered over to a wall. Collapsing against it, she looked for the Dragon Booster, Phistus, and anyone else she knew. There was a moan behind her, and she turned.

"Rancyyd!"

The red-mohawk bearing Dragon Eye grinned weakly, "Heya Pyro Booster. Is everyone else okay? Some of our side get away?"

She nodded and crouched by him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

The young man chucked, "I'll be fine, go check on someone else, they'll need it, I saw one of the Grip's girls calling D.C. Medical, they'll be here in a bit."

Pyro was really confused; this wasn't the usual harsh, energetic, and chronically cruel Rancyyd she knew. He was being calm and nice. She started to check if he had any mortal injuries, if he didn't she'd check someone else, and just try to help until the medics arrived.

"Don't bother, I'm gonna be fine," Rancyyd implored. Pyro used her good arm to grasp under his arm and tug him into a seated position, but as she drew her hand from his side her eyes widened, even against her red glove she could see the blood.

----

Cain shakily wandered through the wreckage, they had found just about all of the Inner Order and Will of the Dragon, but the Flares and Voices had vanished. Most hadn't been as lucky as him and his friends, and were injured anywhere from immensely painful to life-threatening.

A whimper to his right snapped him out of his thoughts, and he jogged over to find Chee from the Inner Order almost completely covered by a hunk of metal. Cain was no doctor, but even he knew that there was nothing he could do until he got Moordryd and the kid to help, the metal would be too heavy for him to lift alone. "Uhh, you, um, don't move, I'm going to get help!"

He ran through the still smoggy air, until he found the de-booster-ed Moordryd and Lance, they had removed their amulets after the order to find everyone else that Moordryd gave. He called, "Moordryd, Mini-brat, come on, I need help over here!"  
Both wordlessly followed him, Lance's face was going as green as his shirt at the carnage all around.

As they reached Chee, Cain and Moordryd started to move the metal, while the more nauseas looking by the second Lance tried to untangle the white-haired man from underneath it. Cain and Moordryd had it up high enough for Lance to tug Chee out, but then they heard Lance start retching. Moordryd whistled for Decepshun, who helped Cain keep the metal up in the air, while Moordryd crawled under to join Lance.

Under the metal, a thin pipe had pierce Chee's shoulder, and there was a lot of blood. Trying not to be ill himself, Moordryd carefully removed Chee from under the metal, with Lance making sure that the pipe did no more damage. They set the man down, and looked around for Parm, who might have a slight idea of what to do.


	24. Don't Get Spratt Mad

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

Penn Racing, as well as scattered members of the Will, Grip, Fish, Eyes, and Order, was in the Inner Order's base. Dragon City Medical hadn't been able to deal with everyone, and so if you weren't dying or close to it, they couldn't deal with you right now. Khatah and the rest of his crew had immediately opened their base as a medical area, and even though they just had to use anyone with First Aid experience as medics, it was still working.

Kitt's broken arm was in a cast, and Artha was soaking a sprained ankle. Artha had been with Swayy and Blarre when they were all injured. Swayy had a light concussion, but she would be up soon, Blarre was a bit worse, with a dislocated shoulder and three cracked ribs.

Cain had gained access to the kitchens, and was baking everyone 'Get Better' cookies with Moordryd and Lance, the latter of which needed to get as far from the blood as possible. Phistus had left awhile ago to check on those in the hospital, and then to see Capt. Faier. Cain had sent him with a few boxes of cookies, and was making more by the second. Moordryd grinned, "At this rate, we could feed the whole city soon, eh Mini-brat?"

Lance snickered lightly, "Yeah, Cain's good at this."

Vizz skidded in, "Guy's Phistus' back!"

Moordryd and Lance slipped out, while Cain stayed with the cookies. Phistus was standing in the middle of everyone. "Faier said that four Flares and eight Voices have been incarcerated. I don't know how they caught them, but they did, as for those in the hospital, no change, except Rancyyd's getting worse."

The Dragon Eyes that were present started nervously whispering, and Kitt stared at the floor. When she had seen Rancyyd, the cut went from under his arm to his hip, and even though it was shallow, it was long and kept bleeding.

Lance was shaking, so Moordryd, with Marianis' help, carted him back to the kitchen, along with a few other kids whose older siblings/guardians had been injured in the fight, including Spratt, a kid named Thudd from the Grip, and a small girl from the Will of the Dragon. The two teens, along with Cain, quickly fund helpful things that the kids could do in the kitchen, away from the misery.

----

Artha, Sarjo, Khatah and Kitt watched the newscaster on the VIDD-screen with a sort of attentively fearful fascination. "Several homes and buildings have been barricaded; the only large area still running is the generators in Shadowtown, providing the power to the city. Dragon City Security is searching for the remaining rioters, as well as the Dragon Flares and Voice of the Dragon crews.

"We warn you, if you come into contact with any members of these crews, do not attempt to engage them in any manner. Get away and alert D.C.S. as soon as possible of their location. Crew leaders are urged to report any members that have recently left and/or been kicked off the crew, as they may soon become hostile. Thank you."

Khatah sneered, "Did anyone else notice that no mention of Word Payyn was made?"

Kitt sighed and leaned on her good arm, "We noticed. He's the guy behind it all, and a lot of people, even Capt. Faier know it, but he's just so good at covering his tracks!"

Sarjo sighed, and sign-language-ed that he was going to get Moordryd, who might know more about this as Word was his father, or it might have been something about wanting a cookie.

----

"No, Shrimp, no!" yelled Cain, as Spratt successfully blew up yet another bag of chocolate chips in the oven. "For dragon's sake kid, you'd think you'd learn to take them out of the bag to melt them after the eighth time!"

Spratt grabbed Cain's collar and yanked the man to his eye level, "The name is Spratt! Not Shrimp, SPRATT!"

Cain shrieked, "Moordryd!"

Moordryd groaned, "Cain, you can handle this guy, he's like one third your size!"

Lance, happily licking a spoon, muttered, "Actually, he's closer to one fourth…"

Dryl, the girl from the Will of the Dragon who was seven, asked, "Mar-ee-anis, why are boys so weird?"

Marianis sighed, "Kid, the smartest people on the planet still don't know that."

Thudd was drumming on some pots when Sarjo came in, "Hey, guys, it's uh…what's your name, no-no-no! Don't tell me! It's….Chucks, right?"

Sarjo shook his head.

"Um, okay, you're...Dojoh?"

Sarjo shook his head again, and the other occupants of the room started staring.

"Oh, duh, of course! You're Khatah!"

Sarjo smacked his head in annoyance, and then grabbed Moordryd, and a few cookies, and dragged him out.

"Whoa, funny eh Shrimp…oops," Cain noticed his error too late. Spratt took a menacing step forward, and Cain yelped, "MARIANIS! Save me!"


	25. WakeUp Call

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

Connor Penn checked before entering the room, waking the four boys of the Penn crew caused more headaches than it was worth. Pleased to see that they were up, the whole get up Moordryd, who'll try and wake up Lance while you wake up Artha, then, just as Artha's beginning to reach consciousness Moordryd gets bored and falls back asleep, leaving no one to restrain Lance, who will jump on Parm's bed to wake him up, who will shove Lance off in annoyance, who will cry and wake up Moordryd, who will chase Parm with his whip, while Artha stares bleary-eyed at the whole episode thing really wasn't working for him, he entered.

Lance was playing Battleground Dragon with Artha, with Parm and Moordryd discussing something more important in the corner. Kitt was cheering Lance on; apparently she had woken up and left her room of her own accord. Even better news.

Moordryd was in the middle of saying something, "Though I seriously doubt…. Oh, hi sir."

Connor rolled his eyes, Moordryd never did know how to say 'Mr. Penn' or 'Connor' most of the time, due to his usual formal way of addressing others outside of whatever crew he was on. Excluding Dragon Eyes, Penn Racing, Marianis, and people the boy didn't like, it was full name, sir, or ma'am.

Parm stuttered, "Oh, hello Mr. Penn. We, um, didn't see you, did we Moordryd?"

Connor folded his arms, "What are you hiding?"

Moordryd muttered, "Well, it sounds kind of stupid…"

Connor leaned on the wall, "A lot of great ideas sound stupid at first."

Parm nodded, "Well, Mr. Penn, we were wondering, would Word by any chance plan to stop the war as well?"

"The war he's starting right now?" asked Connor skeptically.

"Yes, well, Moordryd here has a theory-"

"It's my theory Parmesan, let me tell it! Anyway, I think my father will let things get really desperate, so desperate that people will try anything to make it end, including to submit to him."

"And," interjected Parm, still sore at the Parmesan comment, "If that is so, then he must have a way to stop his wraiths and the racers that are working for him immediately. If we can use it to end this instantly, therefore removing his bargaining chip."

"Which is what I was going to say before I was so rudely interrupted," interjected Moordryd.

"You interrupted me first!"

"BOYS!" yelled Connor. "There's a war out there, we do not need one in here!"

"Sorry," both mumbled.

"Good, now Moordryd, what do you seriously doubt?"

"That we'll actually be able to figure out what it is and if we do that we will never be able to get to it," the white-haired boy stood and decided that he'd rather go cheer Lance on then be interrogated any further.


	26. The ReallyNotThatGreat Plan

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

Shadow stopped fidgeting for a moment to consider what he was doing. He, Lightning, the rest of the boosters, Marianis, Khatah, Chute, and Reepyr (with his new dragon Meediumm) were carrying out the plan. The plan he just knew was a bad plan. Cain and the other crew leaders were going to keep order while they were gone, so all they had to do was break into his father's citadel, search nearly every scale-scraping room, find the de-activator-thingy, pray Rivett had given them legit gear, use said 'I-sure-hope-this-dumb-thing-works' gear, take Word Payyn into custody, deal with the rebellious racers, and then….he had no clue.

'Great plan smarty-brat,' he thought angrily at Strike. Reepyr and Lightning were working on deactivating the locks on the air vents that were big enough for people and dragons. 'You couldn't even come up with an ending to the little fairy-tale. Scale you!'

"Done," Reepyr declared. "Alright then, now all we have to do is… um, Strike?"

Everyone joined the leader of the Prophets (the good ones anyway) in staring at the Strike Booster, who cleared his throat, "Err, well, eh-hem, yes, next Lightning, Shadow, Marianis, and Khatah, you all will take your dragons trough the ventilation shaft, stopping here." He pointed to a part of the map that they had "acquired" (a.k.a. somebody stole it) and paused so that the four could see. "There you all will unscrew the bolts of the large vent which is above a hallway. You will then search until you can locate the deactivation device." He paused again before continuing, "The rest of us will follow the other, much larger, vent deep into the heart of the structure. We will then split, with myself, Pyro, and Dragon looking for Word Payyn," Shadow caught Marianis and Lightning's swift glances in his direction to see how he was with the plan so far," and then Chute and Reepyr, who will have gone here, will neutralize the security system."

"And then?" Shadow asked sardonically, giving Lightning and Marianis a neatly veiled nod. "Your plan never did end buddy."  
"Err, well, and then Shadow, your group will meet up with ours after turning off the device-"

"You mean the device that we have no idea _where it is_?" Shadow's voice was rising slightly in fury at the poor plan. He hated poor plans.  
Strike gritted his teeth, "_Yes that one_. Next you will meet up with our group which will have rejoined after the security's switch-off-"

"We don't know where _you'll _be _either_," Shadow hissed angrily.

Strike lunged at him, only to be restrained by Dragon and Chute, yelling, "FINE! Alright, so my plan isn't that great! Well then, let's scrap it; I'm sure that _the Shadow Booster _will have a plan, even though he's a scale-scraping idiot!"

Shadow stood menacingly from the crate he was sitting on. He took a threatening step forward, "All I'm saying is that we could have thought this through better! Honestly, we could all die today! We can't-" His words faltered as Marianis put a hand on his left shoulder and Lightning gripped his right elbow. "I-I just don't want anyone to die Strike, that's all…." He sighed in defeat and shook his head, "I just want this to work…"

"We all do," whispered Chute as she slowly patted Strike's shoulder.

Dragon released his grip on Strike and muttered, "C'mon guys. Let's go."

This is almost the end poeple! Hang in there!


	27. Mission Complete, Or Is It?

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

Shadow lowered himself through the vent, followed by the rest of his 'squad'. They crept along silently for what seemed like an eternity before they found the right opening.

Finally they found it, and Shadow went to work on the screws as Khatah called Dragon to report success so far. Lightning mag-pulled the grate upwards, and then twisted it so that it would fit through the hole. The four and their dragons hopped down through the opening, landing right in the middle of a large hallway.

"Split up," Shadow said. "Khatah with Lightning, Marianis with me, don't go too far though. Holler if you find something that might be it."  
Khatah and Lightning saluted, and went into a door on the right, as Shadow and Marianis went into one on the left. Marianis shuddered as they stared searching, "I hope we can do this."

Shadow chuckled, as they went into another room, having found nothing, "Of course we will. And….afterwards…would you like to…you know...grab some dinner? Maybe?"

Marianis gave him a clever look, "A date? With you? I don't think so."

Shadow just about dropped dead then and there, "B-but you…you _kissed_…"

Marianis smirked, "_I _want a date with Moordryd Payyn. And-" she put a hand on his chest, "I want him all to myself."

Shadow was indefinitely thankful for his mask right then, as he was sure that he was redder than Pyyrah's hair right now.

"Guys! Um…I mean guy and girl! Oh whatever, we found it!" Lightning yelled. He skidded in, and stammered, "Uhh… am I interrupting something?"

Shadow strode out, into the room where Khatah was standing next to a large machine with several projection dishes and buttons. He pried the main panel, at least he hoped it was the main panel, off and shoved Rivett's little doohickey right on in.

Lightning's VIDD-com buzzed, and he answered. On the other side was a panicked Pyro Booster, "Guys! Big problem! The security's off, but Payyn escaped! And I do not mean the one in the black armor right next to you!"

Strike pushed her out of the way, "You must deactivate that thing soon; if you do not then we are all in dire peril! Word had not only escaped, and Pyro told you, but he has also started a huge fight, jut south of the main area of Precinct! We all need to get there, now!"  
"Give me a minute…" Shadow muttered. He activated the gear, and the four humans and four dragons stood back as the device blew. After its destruction, Decepshun made a point of walking over and clawing small part of it into oblivion.

Then the eight raced off, joining the others outside of the citadel. Then they all raced for Precinct.


	28. The Grand Finale

Still don't own DB people.

---------------

"No…no…no," Shadow thought. It was Drakkus they faced. His father was, and apparently always had been, Drakkus. The one person none of them had ever been able to defeat. And he was the one that had to lose now.

"Take off the mask Payyn!" shouted Dragon. Shadow was about to ask why when he remembered who they were facing. "We know who you are!"

Word chuckled, "Then you know that you should be very afraid of me. You have never defeated me Dragon Booster, nor has anyone else here."

There was a shout, "Maybe not alone Word, but they have a chance together!" Mortis, on Tyrannis Paxx, stood behind the five boosters, along with Marianis, Cain, Reepyr, Chute, Wulph, Stewward, Kwake, Rivvett (on Libris naturally), and Sonyk, a racer who had left the Voices a few months ago. "The twelve colors stand against you Word."

Dragon called back, "Hey guys, how about we show Mr. Payyn here what unity's all about?"

And then began an event that would go down in history. Marianis and Wulph lent their energy to Moordryd, Kwake and Cain to Lance, Stewward and Chute to Parm, and Sonyk and Reepyr to Kitt. Libris and Paxx charged Word, as the four boosters gave their energy, as well as the energy of the other eight, to the Dragon Booster.

Word was distracted by Libris and Paxx, who suddenly lunged aside as Beau gave off the biggest mag-blast in recorded, and non-recorded, history.

It was over. Reepyr held up a pair of mag-cuffs from the Prophet's Cave, "Dragon Booster, will you do the honors?"

Dragon stared at the cuffs for a moment, "They're not mine to do." He handed them to Shadow, "They are yours, my friend."

Shadow hopped off his dragon and unbeknownst to everyone behind him, his mask slid into his helmet. Word's eyes widened "You!"

"Me," Moordryd said, then suddenly punched his father.

Strike winced, and Lightning snickered, "I bet that felt good!"

Moordryd cuffed his father, as Marianis slunk up to him, "Now then Moordryd, about that date…."

(cue Pirates of the Caribbean theme musicDuh-duh-dun-dun-dun-dun-nun-nuh-nuh...)  
THE END

-------

For those who are wondering why the heck i mentioned the PotC theme music, Ii was humming it when I typed the final line. Well, that's all folks! I'll hvae a new story, a wwaaaayyyy darker version of this (knida anyway, it's not the same plot, way more complex) up soon. It's called (dun dun dun):** Shadow's Thunder, Lightning's Darkness.**

I hope to post it soon! Later for now!


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